Gov. Inslee details new rules for nursing homes to curb coronavirus spread

Governor Jay Inslee has outlined a list of new requirements for nursing homes and long-term care facilities in an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus among elderly, at-risk residents. That includes restrictions related to visitors, protective equipment, and other precautionary measures.

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“We know there is an increased risk among people while live in congregated settings, such as long-term care facilities,” Inslee said during a Tuesday news conference. “We need to protect our older adults, and these rules will help.”

More specifically, the rules detail the following restrictions:

• All visitors to nursing homes and assisted living facilities must be adults
• No one can visit a resident unless that have been screened for signs or symptoms of coronavirus prior to entry (that includes the presence of a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or contact with a confirmed case of the illness).
• All visitors must sign into a visitor’s log that includes data, time in, time out, name, and contact information. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities must keep those logs on file for 30 days.
• All employees in nursing homes and assisted living facilities must be screened for coronavirus at the start of every shift.
• Any residents or staff of one of these homes or facilities under a quarantine or isolation recommendation from the State Department of Health must be isolated in their rooms “far away from other people.” A resident can also choose to discharge from a facility at any time.
• These homes and facilities cannot disclosed protected or confidential medical information unless otherwise provided with consent from the resident.

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Inslee also outlined protections for workers and businesses negatively impacted by Washington’s coronavirus outbreak. Those new rules:

• Workers can receive unemployment benefits if an employer needs to shut down operations temporarily because an employee is sick or in need of quarantine or isolation.
• Any worker under quarantine or isolation not already receiving paid sick leave benefits is eligible to receive possible unemployment benefits.
• A worker who falls seriously ill and is forced to quit may qualify for paid family leave while ill. Once recovered and able to work, they can apply for unemployment benefits
• Full-time employee social standby benefits are now available to part-time and “less than full-time” workers.

“The last thing people need to worry about when dealing with a health crisis is how they’re going to put food on the table,” said Washington Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine. “These new rules build on our state’s already strong foundation of support services.”

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